Hundreds gather for Sikh temple shooting memorial

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US Attorney General Eric Holder spoke at a memorial service for the six victims of the Sikh temple shooting in Oak Creek, Wis.

By Dinesh Ramde
Associated Press
August 10, 2012

OAK CREEK, Wis. (AP) — Hundreds of people streamed into a Wisconsin high school Friday to pay their final respects to six worshippers gunned down by a white supremacist at a Sikh temple in suburban Milwaukee.

Somber, tearful mourners, most wearing scarves on their heads in the Sikh tradition, greeted victims’ family members with hugs at the Oak Creek High School gymnasium. Six open caskets were arranged inside the gymnasium, with flowers adorning the bodies. A large video screen flashed photos of those killed and injured.

The wake and visitation, initially scheduled to last for two hours, was extended by another two to accommodate mourners who traveled from abroad and US Attorney General Eric Holder as a last-minute speaker. Other dignitaries expected to attend include Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and US Rep. Paul Ryan.

After the service, mourners planned to return to the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin where the six died and three others were critically wounded Sunday morning. There, priests will read the Sikh holy book from cover to cover in a traditional rite honoring the dead called ‘‘Akhand Path.’’ That process takes 48 hours.

‘‘We want to pay homage to the spirits who are still in there,’’ said Harpreet Singh, a nephew of one of the victims.

Earlier Friday, about two dozen worshippers milled around the temple, where blood-stained carpet had been replaced and some walls had been freshly painted by members allowed inside the day before.

One bullet hole in a door jamb leading to the main prayer hall was left unrepaired as a memorial to the shooting victims.

Kuldeep Chahal, 35, a Sikh teacher from Toronto, arrived at the temple Friday with several other people after driving for 12 hours. Chahal brought banners and cards that temple members in Canada had signed for families of the victims.

‘‘The reason we came down is because we definitely what to show the community how much we support them,’’ Chahal said.

Federal investigators may never know why 40-year-old Wade Michael Page chose to attack strangers in a holy place. What they do know is that the Army veteran opened fire with a 9 mm pistol at the temple, shortly before Sunday services were due to begin.

Page killed five men and one woman, and injured two other men. Authorities say he then ambushed the first police officer who responded, shooting him nine times and leaving him in critical condition. A second officer then shot Page in the stomach, and Page took his own life with a shot to the head.

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